Television in the Home: Good, Bad, Does it Matter?

I never would have imagined that one day I would make the decision with my husband to not have cable TV, and then eventually to remove the televisions completely.  *chuckle*  Yet not getting cable TV during the first year of our marriage was some of the best pieces of advice we could have gotten, and wisdom we've carried in to the rest of our marriage and family life.  And later removing our TV completely has had profound blessings.

 (photo courtesy of Google images)

Mom Tips - For Prettying-Up Mom

I so enjoy the little "mom tips" that I've come across in life - those little things that I've learned from my mom, or a mom friend, that just make life a little nicer.  Things that make the "daily-daily" just a little easier, or make me smile a little more, or maybe will be a time saver for me.  I'm not referring to the bigger projects like de-cluttering or re-organizing, (although those definitely make me smile)!  But just the small things - the "mom tips" that aren't in the self-help books, they're just life-experience things that I've gotten from a mom with experience under her belt.  Well I'll share with you some of my Mom Tips for Prettying-Up Mom; I hope they bring a simple breath of fresh air to your regular every day patterns!  *smile*

"Raising Real Men - Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys" - a Book Review

The title of this book grabbed my attention instantly when I found Hal & Melanie Young's web site, RaisingRealMen.com.  It was exactly what I have been desperately seeking wisdom on- how to raise real men - and in the process survive our (currently 4) boys, teach them, and appreciate them!  "Lord help me!"  And from what I hear from our friends, family, and our blog readers, this could be a very encouraging and insightful book for you as well.  I've already recommended it to just about every mom I have had a conversation with since beginning the book, not because I'm seeking the opportunity to do so but because this topic of boys seems to naturally arise in every conversation as soon as one of us asks, "So...how are you doing?"  *chuckle*

Raising Real Men - Surviving, Teaching and Appreciating Boys, 

by Hal & Melanie Young

A Wonderful Announcement From the Shupes!

NOTE:  The Lord ended up taking this little life to be with Him much earlier than we would have chosen (11 weeks gestation); but you can still read about how our reaction was filled with joy - and how it will be again, if the Lord chooses, prayerfully, to bless us with more children.  *smile*

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We are so excited.  *beam!*  Baby #10 is on the way!

But you might be asking some common questions, 

"Will your other 9 children be as excited as you are?"

"Aren't you concerned about having a baby at age 41 (which I will turn a week or so before this baby will be born)?"

 "Aren't you concerned about the size of your 1100 square-foot house and adding another person to it?"

"Isn't the thought of 'starting over' with a newborn overwhelming to you?"

I'll share with you a bit the answers to these questions and about how we feel being blessed with our 10th baby.  *smile*